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Tacoma's Fourth of July celebration to move, get new name

The city of Tacoma is looking for a new group to produce its annual Fourth of July festivities, which are expected to move further down the waterfront next year.

Tacoma’s popular annual Fourth of July celebration will be a little different next year.

The city is planning for it to move farther down the waterfront and start at the Lobster Shop and continue up to Point Ruston and the new Dune Peninsula park. In the past, it has started near Old Town and ended at the Lobster Shop.

Kim Bedier, director of venue and events with the city of Tacoma, said the change is due to the recent opening of the new Dune Peninsula park and the overall growth at Point Ruston.

That’s not the only change.

The Tacoma Events Commission has been putting on the Freedom Fair on the Fourth of July for more than 40 years, but now Tacoma is looking to spice it up and wants to open it up for someone else to run it.

But there are a couple problems. The commission says it has trademarked the name “Freedom Fair” and has existing contracts with the military for the air show. So, if another entity takes over, they’d presumably be without the air show and would need a new name.

Bedier says the city wants to see something new and refreshing. It also wants something that will reflect Tacoma and the people who live there.

The city of Tacoma has been collecting proposals from new event producers. The final day to submit a proposal was Monday. The Tacoma Events Commission says it did not submit a bid.

Gary Grape, executive director of the Tacoma Events Commission, says the group hopes to continue to have a Freedom Fair, but it will look different than people are used to.

“We are going to keep the Freedom Fair alive and well,” Grape said.

Grape said there is a possibility that the commission will have a separate Freedom Fair in the same place, but it is also considering holding something near Foss Waterway or the LeMay Car Museum by the Tacoma Dome.

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